Koenji Awaodori

Travel Information

Biggest Awaodori Parade in Japan

Koenji Awaodori (高円寺阿波踊り) is one of the three major summer festivals in Tokyo. It holds at Toenji Station. Awaodori is actually traditional dance of Tokushima, but Koenji Shopping Street started as promotion in 1957. Now it is one of the three major summer festival in Tokyo. As Awaodori Festival, the biggest festival in eastern area.

Tourist Info.There is traffic regulation. On the side street, there are many food stands opens.

Access0. at Shinjuku Station
1. use JR Chuo Line to Koenji Station (12 min.)

Detailed Travel Guide

2008 Aug 23 & 24 No. 52 Koenji Awaodori
There were about 12,000 Awaodori dancers joined and about 120,000 people joined this festival. It is the biggest summer festival in Tokyo.
"Yatto Sa!" is their call.

All dance teams have their own unique but still traditional costume. Their dance are all originals with original music.

Entire town between JR Koenji Station and Shin-Koenji Station become the dance stage.

History of Awaodori
Awa Odori is popularly believed to have begun in 1587. Lord Hachisuka Iemasa, the daimyo of Awa Province hosted a drunken celebration of the opening of Tokushima Castle. The locals, having consumed a great amount of sake, began to drunkenly weave and stumble back and forth. Others picked up commonly available musical instruments and began to play a simple, rhythmic song, to which the revelers invented lyrics, alternately praising Lord Hachisuka and encouraging others to join the dance.

While Awa Odori occurs at the same time as the Bon Festival, the Awa Odori is generally not considered to be a Bon Odori. (wikipedia)

Song

"Odoru ahouni Miru ahou. Onaji ahou nara Odorana son, son."

Crazy Dancers with other crazies watching them. Since both a like are mad, you might as well dance, might as well dance.